We are strongest when we work together

Thursday, November 17, 2016

A few thoughts I was pondering on after last Tuesday. Donald Trump will be the 7th Republican President since 1957. There have been 5 Democratic Presidents. There was a Republican in the White House when I was born. There also was one in the White House when I was accepted into the IBEW as an apprentice. There was one sitting as President when I topped out & received my lineman's ticket. I was taught as a kid at home and in school to always be respectful of whoever was elected to serve as our president. This is and always has been a great country and I feel very fortunate that I was born here, raised my family here, and that my working career was here. I worked quite steadily through the times that a Republican was sitting in the White House, though the work was often out of state. That's ok, when those times come along, we travel, and we tramp to pay our bills. That's part of who we are.

There are some extreme people out there, both on the right & the left. This is not the time to think all is lost with the union way of life. This election is bringing a different President than we are used too. There are many unknowns still. The IBEW will hopefully continue to grow stronger for it. We need to keep our heads up & keep doing a great job on whatever project we are on. We need to show that we are the best and most viable option to perform the multiple projects in our industry. We also have to be ready to stand up TOGETHER and fight for what we have and for what our ancestors built for use as union members. If you got out and exercised your right to vote, thank you. It's important to exercise our rights as Americans. -Dave Beatty, D757494, President